The present invention relates generally to engine maintenance, and more particularly to a method and system for assessing jet engine cycles based upon local gathering and analysis of environmental data for the purpose of determining an jet engine maintenance schedule based upon the environmental data.
Jet engine turbines require periodic maintenance. It is critical that this maintenance be performed at appropriate times during the life cycle of the jet engine. Currently, jet engine maintenance schedules are based upon jet engine xe2x80x9cthermalxe2x80x9d cycles and the amount of time the jet engine is in the air (xe2x80x9ctime on wingxe2x80x9d). A jet engine xe2x80x9cthermalxe2x80x9d cycle refers to the full heating and then cooling that a jet engine undergoes during take-off, climb, cruise, descent and landing. These cycles are logged for each jet engine. A flight leg is a common time average measure used in Maintenance Cost Per Hour (MCPH) service contracts and is defined as the time on wing divided by the number of cycles.
Many conditions relating to each cycle affect the wear introduced to the jet engine. These conditions include, for example, engine derate and environmental factors. Engine derate refers to the running of a jet engine at less than its rated power output. Jet engines are often derated to prolong jet engine life and minimize necessary maintenance. Environmental factors include, for example, ambient air temperature, atmospheric pressure, relative humidity, air-borne particulates, and the pH of precipitation.
At present, jet engine maintenance contracts specify schedules based only upon flight hours and engine cycles. The suggested maintenance occurs according to these schedules. In addition, maintenance can occur when necessary due to a mechanical event, or as indicated by changes in the monitored engine exhaust gas temperature. Typically, environmental factors are not considered when a jet engine maintenance schedule is determined.
Therefore, a desire exists to understand effects of environmental factors on engine life and required maintenance such that a maintenance schedule for a jet engine can be determined that is also based on the effects that the environmental data has on wear of the jet engine.
In one representative embodiment, a system for determining a maintenance schedule for a jet engine using at least remotely-gathered environmental data is provided. The system comprises a remote monitor for collecting and transmitting the remotely-gathered environmental data and a processing unit for receiving the remotely-gathered data from the remote monitor and determining a maintenance schedule for the jet engine. The remote monitor comprises at least one sensor for measuring the remotely-gathered environmental data. A controller is connected to the at least one sensor. A remote communications device is connected to the controller for transmitting the remotely-gathered data. The processing unit comprises a processor communications device for receiving the remotely-gathered data transmitted from the remote monitor. A processor is connected to the processor communications device for processing the remotely-gathered environmental data. An environmental database is connected to the processor for compiling and storing the remotely-gathered environmental data. A flight database is connected to the processor for compiling and storing flight data for the jet engine. The flight data includes at least thermal cycle data and time on wing data. The processor is adapted to generate a maintenance schedule for the jet engine based on the remotely-gathered environmental data and the flight data.
In another representative embodiment, a method of determining a maintenance schedule for a jet engine is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing flight pattern data for the jet engine. The flight pattern data includes a take-off location for the jet engine, a landing location for the jet engine, thermal cycle data for the jet engine and time on wing data for the jet engine. Environmental data is measured proximate to the take-off location for the jet engine. In addition, environmental data is measured proximate to the landing location for the jet engine. The measured environmental data from the take-off location and the landing location are correlated to wear and/or erosion of the jet engine. The maintenance schedule for the jet engine is determined based upon correlation of the environmental data to the wear and/or erosion of the jet engine and using the thermal cycle data and the time on wing data.